3-Way Switch Wiring With Power at the Light

Power arrives at the ceiling box first and runs down to the switches. A 14/3 cable goes to switch 1, and another 14/3 continues to switch 2, where a white wire marked with black tape feeds constant power to its COMMON screw.

Safety first. Turn off the breaker and confirm the power is off with a non-contact voltage tester before touching any wire. Follow your local electrical code; some areas require a licensed electrician or a permit. If you find aluminum wiring, cloth-covered wiring, scorched insulation or more than one circuit in a box, stop and call an electrician.

Light box

Grounds: join the bare copper wire in the 14/2 cable bringing power in, the bare copper wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1 and the light fixture’s ground lead or screw under one wire nut.
Hot splice: join the black wire in the 14/2 cable bringing power in and the black wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1 under one wire nut.
Neutral splice: join the white wire in the 14/2 cable bringing power in, the white wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1 and the light fixture’s white lead under one wire nut.
Light fixture, black lead → the red wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1.

Switch box 1

Grounds: join the bare copper wire in the 14/3 cable to light box, the bare copper wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 2 and a short bare copper pigtail to the 3-way switch 1’s green ground screw under one wire nut.
Hot splice: join the black wire in the 14/3 cable to light box and the white wire re-marked with black tape in the 14/3 cable to switch box 2 under one wire nut.
Cap the white wire in the 14/3 cable to light box with a wire nut. This is the neutral. Leave it capped in the box: a smart switch will need it later.
3-way switch 1, COMMON screw (the dark/black one) → the red wire in the 14/3 cable to light box.
3-way switch 1, traveler screw (brass) → the black wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 2.
3-way switch 1, other traveler screw (brass) → the red wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 2.

Switch box 2

Grounds: join the bare copper wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1 and a short bare copper pigtail to the 3-way switch 2’s green ground screw under one wire nut.
3-way switch 2, COMMON screw (the dark/black one) → the white wire re-marked with black tape in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1.
3-way switch 2, traveler screw (brass) → the black wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1.
3-way switch 2, other traveler screw (brass) → the red wire in the 14/3 cable to switch box 1.

What you need

3-way light switchBuy them in pairs; both ends of the circuit need one.

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14/3 NM-B cableTravelers + neutral + ground between the two switches.

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Non-contact voltage testerConfirms the power is really off before you touch a wire.

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Lever wire connectorsFaster and more forgiving than twist-on wire nuts for pigtails and splices.

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3-Way Switch Wiring With Power at the Light

Which setup do you have?

Flip the switches

Wire it box by box

Light box

Switch box 1

Switch box 2

Other 3-way switch setups

What you need

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